Arsenal and Manchester City Women secure wins with early goals | OneFootball

Caitlin Foord (19 Arsenal) celebrates scoring the second goal against Brighton. (Jay Patel/SPP)

Arsenal and Manchester City enjoyed Friday evening Barclays Women’s Super League victories after strong starts against Brighton and Spurs respectively.

Arsenal 5-0 Brighton & Hove Albion (Att: 22,467) Manchester City 4-0 Tottenham Hotspur

Arsenal moved within a point of third-placed Brighton after striking three times in a dozen minutes before the half-hour mark, to give the Seagulls a mountain to climb.

Frida Leonhardsen Maanum of Arsenal scores her team’s third goal. (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)

Beth Mead cut inside to fire home off the far post, Caitlin Foord tapped in a low cross from Kim Little and Frida Leonhardsen Maanum dramatically found the top corner from the far corner of the penalty area.

Albion kept their hosts from a fourth goal until the last quarter of an hour, when Lina Hurtig headed in a Katie McCabe delivery.

Then during 17 minutes of added time, Jorelyn Carabalí fouled Stina Blackstenius in the area and Alessia Russo put away the resulting penalty.

Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw scores her second goal of the evening against Spurs. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

Manchester City extended their lead at the top to four points – but from two more games than second-placed Chelsea – with victory over Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium.

City took just 21 seconds to open the scoring against Spurs, Khadija Shaw dispossessing Clare Hunt to advance into the box and finish comfortably.

Shaw got her and Manchester City’s second in the 15th minute, heading home Lauren Hemp’s cross into the six-yard box.

Manchester City’s Jill Roord under pressure from Martha Thomas of Tottenham Hotspur. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

Becky Spencer pushed away a powerful second-half drive from Hemp, whose next attempt amazingly hit both posts and the crossbar in-between.

Man City sealed the points with a quick double after the hour mark, both set up by Hemp, Jill Roord rifling in the first and Shaw completing her hat-trick on the slide at the far post.

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